Company lifts American flag ban

AMANDA RIDDLEAssociated Press

Published Tuesday, September 18, 2001

BOCA RATON Three days after removing American flags from employee's desks on a day of prayer and remembrance, a company here apologized to its workers and handed out flags and patriotic lapels as they came to work Monday.

The chief executive of National Council of Compensation Insurance Holdings Inc. sent a memo to its 850 employees Friday that said company policy prohibits flags in the workplace.

NCCI spokesman Michael Bullard said the company considered the American flag to be a political emblem, and the policy was intended to protect its employees from divisive political discussions.

'Divisive statements or actions, political or religious discussions and anything else that could be divisive or mean different things to different people are not appropriate in our work environment," CEO Bill Schrempf said in the memo.

But after news reports that the company, which compiles workers compensation insurance data, had removed 10 flags from employee cubicles Friday, management met over the weekend and decided to lift its ban, Bullard said.